The Other Traveler
by Blaise White
Summary: When Nick stops in Shoyo, not only does he meet a kindly Sheriff and his wife, he also meets the Sheriff's eighteen year old daughter who also survives the 'Super flu'. They become traveling companions, but will something more develop along the way?
1. Paths are Crossed

A pretty girl of eighteen walked across the small town of Shoyo Arkansas just before dawn. She was going to see her daddy, the Sheriff of the town at his work place, the jail. Her mamma had sent her to check on the new inmate who had been found beaten in the road by Dr. Soames and his wife as they were driving. She had heard the man was young, maybe not even twenty-one, and she wanted to see him; it wasn't often that there were visitors to the town.

Jasmine's light brown hair lifted from her shoulders in the breeze that blew through Shoyo every once in a while. She walked through the door of the jail to find her father was not at his desk. She figured he must be in the back talking with the stranger. She moseyed on back to where the cells were, hearing nothing but a pencil dancing across paper. When she looked inside, she saw her father standing outside the cell, watching the man who was beaten write on a piece of paper. _He must be mute_, she said to herself as her father looked towards her. "Mornin' Daddy. Who's this guy?"

"Mornin' Darlin'. This here is Nick Andros. Seems he was robbed last night." Sheriff John Baker turned his attention back to Nick, who had stopped writing to stare at his daughter who came in quite unexpectedly. He pointed at her saying, "this is my daughter, Jasmine." He smiled a bit as Nick nodded and returned to writing. "What are you doing here, Jasmine?"

"Mama told me some guy came in all beat up, and I was curious. The phone ringing woke me up," she explained before her father could ask. She looked at Nick who was looking back at them, apparently finished with his writing. She read what he had written over her daddy's shoulder, seeing that he had been working on Mr. Ellerton's farm, and that the people who beat him up had taken his week's pay. "Man that must be rough." She returned the small smile that Nick gave her. He seemed like a nice guy.

"You sure it was Rich Ellerton you was working for? I can check that you know," Baker said as he tore off the page Nick had written on and folded it small enough to stick in his pocket. He glanced over at Jasmine who was smiling at Nick, and wondered idly what his little girl was thinking about. He looked back at Nick who was nodding. "Did you see his dog?" He watched as the boy nodded his head again. "What kind was it?" He handed Nick the pad as the boy reached out for it. When Nick had written the correct answer, John nodded and walked back into his office, leaving Jasmine and Nick alone.

"So... Hi." Jasmine had had something in mind to say, but as she was talking, she lost it. She waved a bit at Nick as he waved at her. "So, are you mute?"

Nick nodded at the Sheriff's daughter when she asked if he was mute. He put his hands over his ears and shook his head to indicate he was deaf too. He had been staring at the girl, and knew the Sheriff noticed, and hoped that he didn't think less of him, or would keep him locked up.

"Deaf to huh? That must be rough." Jasmine's smile faded a bit, as she gave Nick a small look of pity. But she got the feeling that he wasn't one that much appreciated people's pity seeing as it had always been that way; or at least that was usually the case with deaf-mutes. She tore her attention away from Nick as her daddy came back in. She watched as her father unlocked the cell and slid the door back, letting Nick out.

"Come on in the office. You want some breakfast?" He shrugged as Nick shook his head, no, and watched as he made pouring and drinking motions. "Coffee? Got that you take cream and sugar?" John smiled as Nick shook his head no. "Take it like a man huh? I like that. Come on." He led the other two up the hall way, still speaking.

"Daddy, he can't hear you, he's deaf, remember?" Jasmine reminded her father gently, as she tugged his sleeve like a little girl. She was the only Baker child, and so her parents had spoiled her, though not quite rotten. She giggled as realization dawned on her father's face.

"Don't matter. Not to a young kid like you, anyway." John shrugged his shoulders leading Nick and Jasmine into the outer office. He poured a big mug of coffee from a thermos and handed it to Nick. He then held up another empty mug, shooting a questioning look at his daughter who nodded. He filled that mug up too, before grabbing the cream and sugar knowing she would want them. He pulled his half eaten breakfast plate towards himself. He looked up as Nick tapped him on the shoulder and winked. "You better say it's good. My wife Jane puts it up."

"Mamma makes the best coffee." Jasmine smiled, making sure she was facing Nick full on, so he could read her lips. She continued spooning sugar into her coffee, preferring to put absurd amounts of it in her cup. She was aware that Nick was watching her, and not paying much mind to her Daddy, and that fact almost made her blush.

"You're pretty good. Just like one of those pantomimers. Bet you don't have much trouble making yourself understood, huh?" John was aware that Nick was staring at his daughter, and didn't know how much he approved of it, but from the time being he could let it slide. After all, his daughter was staring back, and she was eighteen so she could stare at whoever she wanted and he couldn't do much in the way of stopping her. "I ain't gonna hold you, but I tell you what. If you stick around, maybe we can get the guys who did this to you. You game?"

Nick found he still held the pad and pencil in his hand, as he nodded, so he wrote; "You think I can get my week's pay back?" He held up the pad so the Sheriff could read it, and he figured Jasmine would figure it out; she couldn't see it, for she was off to the side, out of line of vision.

"Not a chance." Sheriff Baker wasn't gonna lie to the boy, that would be just unfair and mean; the sheriff was not a mean or unfair man. "I'm just a hick Sheriff, boy. For something like that, you'd be wantin' Oral Roberts." He looked up at his daughter, rubbing his arm after she hit. "What was that for?"

"You are NOT a 'hick sheriff', Daddy." Jasmine didn't like when her daddy referred to himself that way. He may not have authority out of the town, but he was still important, and was a real law man. She sipped her coffee, both her hands on the warm mug even though outside it was slowly growing hotter.

Nick shrugged and made motions with his hands like a bird flying away. He had seen what Jasmine said to her father, and agreed with her; the sheriff seemed like a good man, especially since Nick was now one hundred percent sure that he had seen him observing his 'little girl'.

John didn't respond to his daughter's comment, but did respond to Nick. "Yeah, like that. How many were there?" He watched as Nick held up four fingers, shrugged, and held up five. "Think you could identify any of them?" He watched as Nick wrote in the air his expression shifting from concern to anger.

"Daddy... do you think it was...?" Jasmine hoped it wasn't her Uncle Ray. She knew he had violent tendencies, but he was still family, and no one liked to think ill of their family.

"Oh Jesus Christ. This here's a full commode slopping over for sure. You sure?" John watched as Nick nodded, seemingly reluctantly. "Anything else, you see anything else?" He watched as Nick gave confirmation of his and Jasmine's fears.

"Uncle Ray." Jasmine, sat on her daddy's desk, her back to him, but facing Nick. She looked down at her feet, feeling sick to her stomach. She couldn't believe Uncle Ray would do something like that to a stranger.

"That's Ray Booth. My brother-in-law. Thanks, kid. Five in the morning and my day's wrecked already." He looked over at Jasmine who seemed upset. "And Jasmine's too, I see." He knew that Jasmine wasn't overly fond of her uncle, but family was family. "Well alright. He's a bad actor. Janey knows it. He beat her up enough times when they was kids together. Still they're brother 'n sister and I guess I can forget my lovin' for this week." John sighed, not too pleased for multiple reasons. He shook Nick's shoulder so the boy could see him talk. "It probably won't do any good anyway. Ray 'n his jerk-off buddies'll just swear each other up. Your word against theirs. Did you get any licks in?"

Nick turned his attention to the pad and began writing. "Kicked this Ray in the guts. Got another one in the nose. Might have broken it." He tore off the page, handing it to the sheriff. He wished he hadn't lost his week's pay, that was just bad luck.

"Ray chums around with Vince Hogan, Billy Warner, and Mike Childress, mostly," John looked up at the ceiling in thought. "I might be able to get Vince alone and break him down. He's got all the spine of a dyin' jellyfish. If I could get him I could go after Mike and Billy. Ray got that ring in a fraternity at LSU. He flunked out his sophomore year." John tapped his fingers on the edge of his used breakfast plate in thought. "I guess we could give it a go, kid, if you wanted to. But I'll warn you in advance, we probably won't get them. They're as vicious and cowardly as a dogpack, but they're town boys and you're just a deaf-mute drifter. And if they got off, they'd come after you." John was never one to sugar coat things.

Jasmine kept her focus on the ground, wishing her uncle wasn't such a bad guy, and not just because he was family, but also because Nick was such a good guy. The sickness in her stomach was slowly subsiding, and would probably get even better when she got something to eat. Like her father, she suffered from insomnia, and usually only got a few hours of sleep each night. She got the feeling she'd get even less sleep that night, for she was very prone to nightmares.

Nick thought about the Sheriff's offer for a while, an image in his mind of what had been done to him. So he finally moved the pencil to the paper and wrote; "Let's try." He didn't much care about the repercussions if he failed, because they'd be nothing like losing his pay, and having no way to survive in the world.

John nodded. "Okay. Vince Hogan works down to the sawmill... well that ain't just true. What he does mostly is fucks off down to the sawmill, pardon my language darlin'." He looked to his daughter briefly as he swore. "We'll take a ride down there about nine if that's fine with you. Maybe we can get him scared enough to spill the beans." He smiled as the deaf-mute nodded. "How's your mouth? Doc. Soames left some pills. He said it would probably be a misery to you." After Nick nodded, John stood up. "I'll get 'em. It..." John broke off into several sneezes, earning a worried glance from Jasmine. "That's another thing. I'm comin down with a real good cold. Jesus Christ, ain't life grand? Welcome to Arkansas boy." He didn't even think as he turned away from Nick that the boy wouldn't hear. He got the pills, and a glass of water, handing them to Nick. He then proceeded to rub his throat which was beginning to swell painfully. Oh yes, life was grand indeed.


	2. One Down, Three to go

_A/N: Hi there. Nick is my favorite character, so I just had to insert myself. You understand right? Right right right. So with out further ado, this is Chapter 2._

**Disclaimer: Since I forgot to put one in the first chapter... I don't own this story, nor some of this dialog. I own Jasmine, who is of my own mind, but everyone else... nada. Praise be to Stephen King for inventing them first, and I hope he won't get angry at me for using them now.**

Jasmine was ordered to stay at home while her daddy and Nick went off to find Vince Hogan. She was really hoping that they got the ones who roughed up Nick, because they deserved to rot in jail for the rotten things they did to the poor guy. She had found out that Nick was twenty-two though he only looked to be about nineteen. He was rather handsome, and Jasmine often found her thoughts, and gaze drifting towards the man. She waved as Nick and her daddy drove off to the sawmill to raz Vince and get him to spill.

Nick waved back at Jasmine with a smile. She was rather pretty to look at, and there was an intelligence behind her eyes that he rather admired. He wanted to get to know her, and found he couldn't stop staring at her. He wondered if she had a southern tone to her voice, and wished he could hear it. When he watched her pretty lips form words, she formed them properly, and didn't say "ain't" or similar words often heard from the south. But he knew he didn't stand a chance in hell with a girl like her, and he fully accepted this.

John smiled and waved good-bye to his daughter, as she stood in the door way, a smile on her face. He drove his old power wagon instead of the cruiser, the little bubble on the dash dormant. When they pulled up at the sawmill, he spit out a big glob of snot on the dusty ground, following it up with a good hard nose blow, and finished with a few dabs at his eyes. He had a very bad cold, and would probably talk to Doc Soames about it later. He turned to Nick and said; "Now, when we see him, I'll grab him by the arm. I'll ask you 'Is this one of 'em?' You give me a big nod yes. I don't care if it was or not. You just nod. Got it?"

The plan John laid out seemed like a very good one to Nick, so he gave a firm nod in response. He got out of the car with John, and walked up to Vince who was working a board planer, up to his ankles in saw dust. Nick did think he recognized the guy, so it would be no great lie when he nodded his head.

Vince looked up to see the Sheriff and the mutie he and his friends had beaten up the previous night. He gave the Sheriff a nervous smile before his eyes flicked to Nick, seeing exactly what they had done to him. It didn't look too pretty, but that had been Ray's intention. "Hi, Big John, what you doin' out with the workin' folk?" He could feel the eyes of his co-workers on him, and did his best to ignore the feeling.

John grabbed Vince by the arm, just as planned and pulled him forward despite protest from the man. He turned his head so Nick could see his lips. "Is this one of em?"

Nick had to hide a smile, and he got the feeling John was hiding one of his own. He nodded and pointed at Vince making double sure to indicate him as one of the guilty parties involved in making his face look more liked mashed potatoes instead of his usual self.

Vince paled a bit and marveled at how Nick could identify him. "What _is_ this? I don't know this dummy from Adam." He hoped he sounded offended and unknowing, but he wasn't very confident in his acting ability. But that's not what trapped him.

"Then how do you know he's a dummy?" John got him; he knew he got him. "Come on Vince, you're going to the cooler. Toot-sweet. You can send one of these boys to get your toothbrush." John tuned out Vince's protests suddenly wishing he was deaf like Nick. Vince protested all the way into town, and all the way into the jail cell where he was locked up. John didn't like the protesting so much. In fact, he liked it so little, he didn't even read Vince his rights. "Damn fool'd just get confused," He told Nick later.

Jasmine watched as her daddy and Nick came back to the station with Vince in the back. She smiled satisfactorily as he was lead past her into a waiting jail cell. When her daddy was out on business, she often minded the station, and did a lot of thinking. She was in her senior year of high school, and thinking about what she wanted to do with her life, having never planned it out before. When school resumed, she'd be looking at colleges, hoping she would have the money to go. She marked her place in the book she was reading as Daddy and Nick came back out of the holding area. "Good catch. One down, three to go." She smiled, glad they had caught him.

"We'll just leave him sit there for a while to think about whether or not he wants to spill. In the meantime, why don't we all go back to the house, and Jane'll cook us up somethin' nice." John smiled, very satisfied with his catch. He knew that if he left Vince in the cell long enough, the man would crack; that was just his way. "On second thought, how 'bout I just bring something back for you two? I'm not quite hungry yet, and I don't wanna ruin my lunch."

Nick agreed to let Sheriff Baker get him some food, for he was getting quite hungry. That and it would give him some time to get to know Jasmine better, for she greatly interested him. He was beginning to really respect the Sheriff and was glad that it was this town he got beat up in, if it had to have happened at all. He didn't much care for being beaten up, but he did enjoy meeting people such as the Sheriff and his daughter. Nick had long ago realized that she was not a typical southern girl, and would make it somewhere, yet she didn't seem to be stuck up, and have an "I'm-better-than-you" type of attitude. He liked that, and he liked her.

Jasmine watched her daddy leave, knowing that he knew what she wanted, and how she rarely ever ate anything before lunch. She had been insecure ever since her ex-boyfriend, Stephen, had told her she was too fat for him to date; she had really loved him, though she was mostly over it now, and realized that Stephen had just been an asshole. She turned her attention to her new friend, Nick, with a smile. "So, how is it that you came to be in our humble town?"

Nick shrugged, and grabbed a piece of paper and pencil to write with. "I don't know, I've just been traveling around is all." He slid the paper over to her, and watched her read it, her mouth making subtle movements, half-forming the words he had written.

Jasmine snatched the pencil out of Nick's hand, and put it to the paper. "I see. It must be nice to travel all the time. I think I'd like to do that some day." She slid the pencil and paper back over to Nick. She had replaced the sheriff's stationary with a real notebook while Nick and Daddy had been out grabbing Vince from the mill.

"It's okay. But why are you writing back? I can read lips." Nick was a bit confused, he knew she didn't think he was stupid, so why had she written it out, instead of just saying it? He slipped her back the notebook, as she obviously wanted it, and handed her the pencil, getting a tingling sensation in his fingers as they brushed her own thin, delicate ones.

"Just a habit. My friends and I used to pass notes in class all the time, so when someone passes me a note, I don't talk, I just write." She wrote on the pad, in long elegant print. She thought her handwriting was terrible, while numerous others called it 'pretty.'

Nick smiled as he read what she wrote. She was certainly interesting, no doubt about that. "Are you still in school? Or did you graduate?" He passed her the paper and pencil again, watching her read, and then write notes back. He rather liked her handwriting. It wasn't difficult to read, and was rather pretty; sort of like her.

"I'm a senior this year. I just turned eighteen this past April." She passed him the note, wondering who taught him how to read and write. It must not have been easy for either the teacher, nor the student, but he was certainly talented at it.

Eighteen. Not so good, but not so bad either. There were only five years between them, he knew people who were married with more years of difference. "So one more year to go, that's not too bad." He smiled, passing her the notebook. He put his elbow on the desk, leaning his cheek against his hand, a dreamy look in his eyes, and a smile on his face. He didn't mind Jasmine seeing the smile, it was the dreamy look in his eyes he was worried about.

Jasmine smiled as she looked at Nick's note. She wrote back; "Believe me, it is pretty bad. High school is high school, and I'm a teenager so we all think the same." She slid the notebook across the desk, knowing Nick was staring at her. She didn't mind at all, in fact she rather liked it. She just hoped that Nick couldn't see the blush putting even more color in her cheeks.

Were Nick not mute, he would have laughed at Jasmine's note, especially since he thought her very unique compared to others of her age. "I don't think your the same as other teenagers." He pushed the notebook towards the girl, smiling as a blush reddened her face to quite a pretty shade of rouge.

John Baker chose that moment to enter the office, not even noticing the looks Nick and Jasmine were shooting each other. He was mostly focused on the plates of hot food he was carrying, praying to the Lord above that he didn't drop one, or both of them. He carefully set one in front of Nick, then the other in front of his daughter.

"Thank-you Daddy." Jasmine smiled up at her father as she took the fork he offered to her. Her momma made them some fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and some corn; a traditional southern meal. Her momma knew what she liked in the ways of chicken, wings and legs.

Nick was excited about the home-cooked meal; it had been a long time since he had had one, and that was for sure. He scooped up a fork full of mashed potatoes heaped with gravy. After he had swallowed it, he quickly took up the pencil, and wrote on the pad; "Thank-you, it's delicious," and slid it over to John.

"Well I'm mighty glad to hear you say that, son." John smiled at Nick, glad to be of help to the boy. Nick was someone you couldn't help but like. John took a seat behind his desk and wrote out a slip to document the arrest of Vince Hogan.

Nick glanced up at Jasmine, and was a bit surprised to see her eating her wing of chicken with her fingers. Not only was she a unique teenager, she was a unique girl. He liked that, he liked that a lot. It was the start of something a bit more than just a beautiful friendship, though neither of them knew it at the time.


	3. A Deputy Made

_A/N: Hi there, although there are no reviews yet, there maybe a reader or two, so if there is, howdy there. I'm doing my best at keeping characters in character, so if you are reading this, give me a review and tell me; how's my writing?_

Nick and Jasmine finished their meals around the same time, and shortly after they were finished Sheriff Baker rose from his chair and stood, looking out the window. "Now, how about we get those others?" He smiled, turning to Nick as he spoke.

Nick smiled back and nodded. Of course first, they needed to get Vince to spill, and he knew that, he just wondered about the method. What happened next was something he did not expect in the least.

Jasmine smiled mischievously. "Need me to work my magic, Daddy?" She stood, stretching, and cracking her fingers. Had Nick been able to hear it, he would have been quite amused. He was amused by her theatrics, and wondered what this 'magic' she was working entailed. She waited for her father to answer, and when he gave her a nod and evil smile she giggled, a sound as sweet as vanilla ice cream, and led the way back to the tank.

Vince sat in a jail cell, hungry, and not yet ready to spill. He couldn't get the mute man out of his head and how he had been able to tell Baker that he was one of the people who beat him up. He had been in the cell for hours, and wanted food desperately. Vince was not a man used to wanting; he got what he wanted, when he wanted it in some way or another. He looked up as Jasmine, the Sheriff's daughter waltzed into view. He gulped, knowing what was coming.

"Thanks for that chicken, Daddy, it was so delicious. Mamma makes the best home fried chicken in the entire United States." She licked her fingers in a theatrical fashion, knowing what it would do to Vince who they had left to starve most of the day. "And those mashed potatoes and corn Mmmmm mmm." She was a little temptress, and she knew it. She glanced over at Vince, seeing he was ready. That was when her daddy stepped forward.

"You want some food, Vince?" He grinned as Vince nodded several times. "You can get some, if you tell us the names of the other ones who did this to Nick here." John knew he had Vince, he knew it. And very soon after he was done speaking, Vince began to speak as well.

"I'll tell you anything you want to know..." Vince then revealed the names of those with which he was in cahoots. He also spilled the beans about the real leader of the pack, who was exactly who John suspected.

"Very good. I'll go get you some food, and be right back." He led Jasmine and Nick back to the outer office, a big grin on each of their faces. "Jasmine, you also do know how to make 'em squeal, though I'll never know how you know exactly what to do." John smiled, shaking his head. His daughter would make a fine sheriff, but he would never allow that. "You two kids stay here while I get Vince some grits."

"You certainly are one incredible girl." Nick wrote on his pad and passed it to Jasmine. He wished he could talk so he could tell her that in his own voice. Never before had he wanted to hear, and speak so much. He wondered what it was about Jasmine that made him feel that way, to feel those longings.

"Why thank you. Years of practice my friend, years of practice," Jasmine wrote back with a smile. She passed the pad to Nick wondering what his voice would sound like if he could talk.

Nick read her note, and would have laughed were his muteness not in the way. "Just how many years have you been perfecting your art?" He passed her the notebook, still amused that she wrote back even though she could talk; really it endeared her to him.

"Oh, I'd say... about five years." Jasmine passed the notebook back to Nick thinking about the first time her daddy had employed her help in getting a criminal to crack. It had been a B&E case involving Hank Royd, one of the local trouble makers. He was a hard one for her father to crack, but Jasmine had done it with ease, so her father usually employed her help ever since then.

Nick would have written back, but John came in just then. Nick watched as he carried a plate of food back to Vince. When the Sheriff came back he turned to Nick.

"Want to go round up those others?" He smiled as Nick nodded. "Good. Let's get 'em. Jasmine... do you want to come with this time?" He didn't usually take Jasmine out with him to round up wrong-doers, and felt a bit of unease, but she had been begging to go along for a long time, and now that she had two protectors, he thought he might as well invite her out this time.

Jasmine smiled and jumped up out of her seat, blushing as she nearly tipped it over in her excitement. She quickly caught the chair before it could crash to the floor, but it was still quite embarrassing. "Yes, I would love to go." She said calmly.

Nick smiled as Jasmine almost tipped her chair over. He observed she had quick reflexes as she caught the chair just before it fell. He followed Baker out, followed by Jasmine. They went out to the Power Wagon. He was going to climb in the back, but Jasmine beat him to it. He wondered why she went straight to the back, for he didn't think it was just for him. He climbed in the front seat next to John, and buckled his seat belt.

John drove to the place of Mike Childress's employment and rounded him up, putting him in the back of the car, not really worrying about Jasmine, for not only could she hold her own thanks to years of Judo classes, but also because Mike was handcuffed. They then drove to Billy Warner's place, and it seemed just in time for old Bill was packing his stuff in his car, getting ready to run. Baker caught him, and put him in the car too. The back was a bit crowded, so it seemed like a good thing that Ray had turned tail already. John locked Billy and Mike up in the slammer in cells next to Vince's. "How about we go get some supper?" They had had to search a bit for Billy, and they were all getting pretty hungry. Nick and Jasmine agreed to food, and Jasmine had been out all day, so she was ready to go home.

Nick thought that John, and rightly so, was a very kind and generous man. He had helped Nick bring down the men who had mugged him, and mangled his face, and now he was giving him a place to stay. He pulled out the small notebook and pencil and wrote a note to John, passing it over to him as they sat in the car. The note said, "I'm sure sorry it's her brother. How is she taking it?"

John turned to Nick, as usual Jasmine was quiet. "She's bearing up. I guess she's done some crying over him but she knew what he was. And she knows you can't pick your relatives like you do your friends." John led Nick and Jasmine up the porch steps, holding the door open for the other two.

When Nick say Jane Baker, he realized where Jasmine got most of her good looks. Jane was a small, but pretty woman who shook his hand warmly. He felt a bit awkward seeing as he was the man her brother had beaten up. He really was sorry that he had to be related to such a kind looking woman.

Jane shook Nick's hand, hoping she didn't look to disheveled from crying. "I'm pleased to meet you, Nick. And I apologize deeply for your trouble. I feel responsible with one of mine being a part of it and all." She smiled slightly as Nick shook his head and shuffled his feet. He obviously felt a bit awkward. "Ah there you are Jasmine, I should have known you were out with your father."

Jasmine smiled and nodded. "You know me, Momma, a daddy's girl through and through." She giggled lightly, not ashamed to admit she was Daddy's princess.

"I offered him a job around the place," John informed his wife and daughter, "Station's gone right to hell since Bradley moved up to Little Rock. Painting and picking up mostly. He's gonna have to stick around for a while anyway – for the... you know." Now John felt a bit awkward, having to maybe put his wife's brother in jail.

"For the trial." Jane hand fully accepted that Ray might have to go to jail. In fact, she thought he rather deserved it for beating up such a seemingly nice boy. He seemed to be a proper boy at the very least, modest, and knowing his place in someone else's home.

A silence descended, and not a companionable silence, a heavily awkward one that everyone found uncomfortable, but no one wanted to be the first to break it. Nick would have, could he have. After a while the silence was almost painful, and it was a relief when Jane broke it.

"I hope you eat redeye ham, Nick. That's what there is, along with some corn and a big bowl of slaw." Jane was doing her best to force cheerfulness, and she thought she was doing a bang-up job of it too. "My slaw's never been up to what his mother used to make. That's what _he_ says anyway." She smiled at Nick as he rubbed his stomach with a smile of his own.

"Grandma does make good slaw, but Momma you know yours is just as good, and maybe just a smidge better." Jasmine grinned and winked over at Nick, who smiled back. She couldn't wait for more of Momma's homemade cooking. She loved what her mother made, and while her grandmother surpassed her in some ways, Momma's cooking was always the best. Jasmine herself wasn't too shabby of a cook either, for her mother had been teaching her little kitchen secrets.

Dinner was delicious, but desert, strawberry shortcake, was even better. Jane was glad to see that Nick had two helpings of it. But she was a bit worried about her husband. "Your cold sounds worse. You've been taking too much on, John Baker. And you didn't eat enough to keep a fly alive."

John looked down at his plate a bit guilty, then palpated his double chin saying; "I can afford to miss a meal now and then." He knew his wife was worried, but he also knew that it was just a summer cold and would pass quickly. Summer colds always passed quickly.

Nick watched Mr. and Mrs. Baker and wondered exactly how they had managed to make Jasmine. He grinned inwardly and figured they got along well enough, and that it was really none of his business. He did notice a very strong resemblance between Jasmine and her mother, though she seemed to be closer to her father. He wondered why that was, but thought it best to not ask quite yet.

"You're flushed too. You carrying a fever?" Jane couldn't help but worry about John, she loved him dearly, and didn't like when he got sick; though it was a little fun to care for him when he was. She watched John shrug, and her worry increased a tiny little bit.

"Nope... well. Maybe a touch." Baker knew what his wife would say before she said it.

"Well, you're not going out again tonight. That's final." Jane didn't care who was in the prison, her husband's health came before the care of lowly criminals and that was that. She would not take no for an answer, and the woman had a will of steel.

"My dear, I have prisoners. If they don't specially need to be watched they _do_ need to be fed and watered." John knew his arguing would do no good, but he had to try anyway. Though he would be giving in long before he could have, and he knew it.

"Nick and Jasmine can do it. You're going to bed. And don't go on about your insomnia; it won't do you any good." And it wouldn't. It was just an excuse, and Jane Baker did not accept excuses.

"I can't send Nick. He's a deaf-mute. Besides, he ain't a deputy." John didn't seem to hear that Jasmine would go with him. She seemed to like the idea, though he was trying to ignore it.

"Well then, you just deputize him. And besides, Jasmine will go with."

"He ain't a resident!" John still didn't seem to notice that Jasmine's name was mentioned.

"I won't tell if you won't." That was the final word. She stood up and began to clear the table, gesturing for Jasmine to sit down, she'd be going with Nick. "Now you just go on and do it, John."

Nick and Jasmine grinned at each other, both thinking it a bit ironic that Nick was a deputy in a town that he had been a prisoner in not even twenty-four hours before. They got ready to go down to the station together, not needing to say anything.

John Baker had gone upstairs and changed into a bathrobe which made him look big and spooky like a ghost. He was a bit embarrassed to be seen with it on in company, but there was nothing for it. "I never should have let her talk me into this. Wouldn't have done either, if I didn't feel so punk. My chest's all clogged up and I'm as hot as a fire sale to days before Christmas. Weak, too." John didn't think he could stay down stairs much longer. He just needed some rest was all. "I'm stuck between deputies. Bradley Caide and his wife went up to Little Rock after their baby passed away. One of those crib deaths." It had been a very sad thing, and Bradley had all his sympathies. "Awful thing. I don't blame them for going."

"Daddy, we'll be fine. You just go on up to bed." Jasmine gave her father a quick hug. He looked as pale as a ghost, and she didn't like it. He was sicker than he was letting on, that she knew. She was every bit as worried as her mother was.

Nick also gestured that he would be okay after glancing over at Jasmine. She seemed really worried, and it made him worried too. But then as she had said, she was a daddy's girl so maybe she was really worried over nothing.

"Sure, you two will be okay. You just take normal care, you hear? There's a .45 in the drawer of my desk, but don't you be taken it back there. Nor the keys either. Understand?" John was ready to go upstairs and get some rest, but he had to make sure they understood the ground rules and the basics.

"We got it Daddy. I know the rules already." Jasmine gave her father a reassuring smile. "And we know not to go in reach of the cells, and not to believe them if they play sick. We'll call Doc. Soames and he'll come in the morning." She gave her father another hug.

Nick took out his pad and wrote; "I appreciate you trusting me. Thanks for locking them up & thanks for the job." He really was thankful to John and his family. He owed them a lot, and he knew it.

John read the note, and had to ask. "You're a purdee caution, boy. Where you from? How come you're out on your own like this?"

Nick knew someone would ask sooner or later. "That's a long story. I'll write some of it down for you tonight, if you want." Nick held up the pad for John to read, knowing the man had to get to bed.

"You do that. I guess you know I put your name on the wire." He smiled a bit as Nick nodded. The boy was smart, he probably knew that it was standard procedure. "I'll get Jane to call Ma's Truck Stop out by the highway. Those boys will be hollering police brutality if they don't get their supper."

"We'll watch for him Daddy." Jasmine smiled. Her father really was a good man. But she was excited that she would get to learn of Nick's past before her dad could. She had been curious herself, but had been too scared to ask him.

"There's a cot in the corner. You two can take turns watching. It's hard, but it's clean. You just remember to be careful. Call for help if there's trouble."

"We can handle it." He smiled and wrote. He smiled at Jasmine as she gave a firm nod. She seemed to spend a lot of time at the prison so if he had any questions he would ask her without hesitating.

"Yeah, I know. Still I'd get someone from town if I thought any of them would-" John was cut off by his wife who came in at just that moment.

"You still jawing these two? You let them go on, now, before my stupid brother comes along, and breaks them all out." Jane knew to never underestimate Ray. He was stupid, but he had rare moments where he could be quite clever.

"He'll be in Tennessee by now, I guess." Baker laughed sourly. He tried to whistle, but it turned into a heavy coughing fit that made Jane and Jasmine worry all the more.

"I'll bring you some aspirin to cut that fever." Jane went up the stairs, holding on to her husband's arm for his support. She looked back down at Nick and said; "It was a pleasure meeting you, Nick, whatever the circumstances. You be just as careful as he says."

Nick nodded, and thought he saw a gleam of tears in her eyes. He looked over at Jasmine who just shrugged. They then set off for the jail together.


End file.
